Complex events are events that only happen if a number of other events happen. In this way, complex events can be understood as events that summarise, represent or denote a set of other events.
Complex event processing (CEP) involves the computerised performance of operations on complex events and may be defined as a set of techniques and tools for analysing a complex series of interrelated events.
A complex event may be made up of a series of other events, possibly occurring within a certain temporal proximity, and possibly including one or more other complex events.
A wedding is an example of a complex event, comprising a combination of simple events, such as a man appearing in a tuxedo, a woman appearing in a white gown, rice or confetti being thrown into the air and church bells ringing.
Some CEP software packages are currently commercially available. However, there is no portable standard for specification of complex events and the available CEP packages are difficult to understand and use. Such CEP software packages have heterogeneous interface requirements that require significant effort on the part of software developers to integrate such CEP packages within a larger system.
It is desired to address or ameliorate one or more shortcomings or disadvantages associated with existing systems or methods that employ complex event processing, or to at least to provide a useful alternative thereto.